Sakura Haruno revised
by YangKurama
Summary: This explores the idea of Sakura acknowledging her potential and releasing her inner Sakura much earlier as well. Sakura is not the silly fan girl in Naruto, she is now the comrade of Sasuke and Naruto who aims to be acknowledged amongst all the Hidden Villages. With a goal surpassing that of being merely the wife of Sasuke, will Sakura Haruno finally reach her full potential?
1. A new dawn

**Sakura Haruno revised.**

**The first time I ever saw a Naruto episode I fell in love with the character Sakura but that was in 2006 and I was only a child. I thought, 'wow a female ninja.' But then I became engrossed with the series only to discover she was… useless, I daresay. ..Until Shippuden came around the corner but it was too late, her character is always mocked for her behaviour and 'skills' in her genin days.**

**However I believe if she embraced her inner Sakura and believed in her potential she would be on par with Sasuke and Naruto.**

**I hope I don't disappoint.**

**I do not own any Naruto characters or Naruto the manga. It wouldn't be as amazing if I did.**

* * *

While twirling the tall stem, with her thumb and her index, she watches the flower twist gracefully and spin elegantly. The daisy mesmerises her green orbs and she stops twirling the stem. The daisy dance comes to a wave but it sways back and forth in the spring breeze, the snow-white petals extend in the breeze and attempt to float.

She releases the daisy, watching it soar through the air like a beautiful white dove free to dance and flutter in the air.

"So graceful and pretty, I wish I was" she whispers yearningly, her green orbs eye her itchy pink dress in disdain. She wishes she could wear shorts because the dresses her mother dresses her in are itchy and she finds it hard to run in them.

Like she could run anyway, she never tries because everyone in her class beats her… even Choji!

They have all been trained by their shinobi families and she can barely fling a kunai.

She sighs dejectedly and kneels on the grass.

Sometimes she feels like releasing her true thoughts and feelings, it's like they have been building up inside her for so long that one day she is going to explode.

"Look, there is forehead girl!" the loud exclamations and laughter rips away the peaceful moment and chases away the relaxing atmosphere.

She swivels around to see the pack of wolves stalking towards her, ready to pounce and tear her to shreds with their words. The pack leader, with her own hair being a shocking purple, leans down towards her and begins to prod her forehead.

The harsh prods hurt and all she can do to protect herself is to cover her face with her arms. She desperately tries shielding her face from the pack leader's insistence clawing.

"Look at her forehead, it is bigger than the village!" the cruel leader, Ami proclaims earning barks of laughter from her pack.

"No it is not" she whispers back softly, her temper rising and ready to burst out at the leader of the pack.

The leader pounces on Sakura and growls bitingly, "What did you say! Forehead girl, forehead freak, I dare you to repeat it!"

Shoving the purple haired bully off her small body, a trembling Sakura begins to clench and un-clench her fists. She bites her bottom lip fiercely and bows her head so she cannot be angered by the sight of Ami.

Ami growls furiously but when she sees Sakura shaking she barks out laughter.

Her pack joins in and they feast their eyes on their quivering prey.

"I said," Sakura rises to her feet with her head still bowed and angrily adds, "No it is not, hell yeah!"

Her soft features are twisted in an expression of pure rage and she storms towards the pack, thundering furiously, "I am sick of you bullying me! You like flaunting the purple of your hair, oh how purple it is! Well, I will make you all purple, meaning covered in bruises, hell yeah!"

The pack is now cowering, whimpering in fear of the deadly pink haired girl.

Ami breaks out in sobs and clutches her newly bruised cheek while Sakura withdraws her fist. The violent glint in her green eyes creates more fear in the depth of the bullies.

The pack immediately disperse, the pack-leader howling in pain while her follows whimper in fear.

Sakura trudges up the stairway towards her house and tip-toes to reach the door knob. When she gets inside she careless throws off her sandals, in her mind she can already hear her mother's annoying rants about her messiness. Too angry by the day's events, she leaves shoes as they are.

Instead she runs towards the living room where she finds her father sitting on a futon.

His kind blue eyes go wide in surprise at her appearance. Her pink dress ruffled from the scuffle, also tainted with many dirt stains.

"I am going to be strong so no one can be mean to me! If they don't like my forehead" Sakura squeaks angrily, she gathers her pink hair into a pony-tail, and seals it with a hair tie.

She rushes towards the small mirror clinging to the wall before rushing off to her mother's room. After ransacking for a good minute in her mother's jewellery, she rushes back into the living room.

She clips back her fringe and proudly displays her profound forehead, announcing, "I don't care if they don't like my forehead because I am going to be strong. They are going to respect me and acknowledge me for something other than my forehead."

Kizashi merely lowers his newspaper and sheepishly wonders how he should respond to his daughter. He looks a little lost in the change in his daughter, usually this pent up rage is released in a tiring temper tantrum every so often. Unhealthy he notes inwardly, maybe this will be good for her and just not for him.

"How about we go shopping" Kizashi asks, chuckling nervously and mentally calling for his wife. How else is he supposed to respond?

Go, girl… you the bomb?

Kizashi sweat drops and mentally sighs.

The fire in his daughter's eyes ignite with passion, "Hell yea, I can get better clothing for a strong person. I am not walking around like a bubble-gum anymore!"

Sweat rolls down the side of Kizashi's face and he chuckles nervously, "But you look like a sakura bud ready to blossom in the clothes your mother _personally_ _made_ for you. Imagine how _she_ will react when you don't wear them"

Sakura stubbornly juts her chin and comments, "I cannot wear those girly things… I probably look like a damsel when I am going to be a strong warrior."

"Whatever you say sweetie" Kizashi murmurs, his mind focused on her fiery mother's reaction to their child's change.

The next day at Konoha Academy the students could only gawk as the pink haired girl enters the classroom. Gone is the shy, gentle demeanour similar to a certain clan heiress and in its place is… her.

Sakura wears a dark green, short sleeved top with the Haruno circle proudly displayed on the back with the Konoha swirl in the middle of it. On her arms are long black sleeves.

Her pants are typical shinobi slacks along with her shoes.

However her forehead stands out when it is usually hidden by her sakura pink hair.

Now her pink hair is tied back in a short pony-tail and her fringe is clipped back.

Sakura mentally shrinks under the attention but attempts to stride confidently towards an empty table.

'I am going to absorb every piece of information and… and then I am going to practice what I have learnt!' Sakura thinks determinedly.

* * *

**This is short, I know. Sakura has released inner Sakura. Tell me what you think. The idea to change Sakura's outfit was a bit drastic but when I try to alter something in me I always begin with my outfit and hair. I also thought in that moment in the series where Ino came to the rescue it was better for Sakura to finally stand up for herself.**

**Please review and feel free to follow my story. I am hoping for at least three reviews or one follow.**

**Tell me whether you want me to develop aspects of Sakura's childhood instead of skipping towards the time she graduates.**


	2. Assigned sempai

**Sakura Haruno revised**

**^-^ Seven reviews, five favourites and eight alerts!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you T-T**

**Oh and I am sorry for my lack of information.**

**I am aware of the pairings and how many prefer one and others the other one.**

**Well, I mean the SasuSaku or NaruSaku pairing thing.**

**There is no solid pairing, I want Sakura to focus purely on becoming a great kunoichi.**

**However she is still female and Sasuke 'is the cutest boy in school' so she will have to admire his good looks.**

**But I don't see her fawning over him, she will see him more as a rival and perhaps it can develop into something more. I am not sure.**

**I don't see her liking Naruto in the beginning of my story, as in now, as he is everything she doesn't want to be, in the beginning of the Naruto series Naruto is seen as a no-good loser who seems to focus on pranks more than being a shinobi. As Naruto grows I think she will grow to admire him.**

**Sakura will have moments with the two but perhaps as I progress deeper into the story I can solidify the pairing.**

**I can't say for certain now because I could change my mind.**

**But it is either Naruto or Sasuke...**

**Perhaps you can vote in the future.**

**Right now though Sakura is only a child so I don't think it will be acceptable for her to begin dating. For now I am saved from making that decision, yeah!**

**There will be fluff moments.**

**Once they become a team they will slowly become close friends.**

**I know usually in childhood fanfics she befriends Naruto or Sasuke or both but I don't see her actually doing that. **

**But they will all be shoved together in one chapter, hint-hint. I have it planned.**

**Perhaps they will be somewhat friends but... I can't give too much away.**

**However I have a childhood mentor in mind for Sakura. A character who I think isn't too flashy, cliché, or overused but I could be wrong. I haven't read many stories. Tell me what you think when he appears in this chapter.**

**This chapter is more or less how and why she has him as a mentor.**

**I made the genres friendship and adventure for a reason. Friendship is what will form in team seven and adventure is for the journey Sakura embarks on in order to become strong.**

**My own view on pairings is neutral so right now it could be either, however I am very fond of Hinata so that could be trifling in my decision.**

**I hope this has cleared that, honestly pairings slipped pass my mind when I am began formulating this plot.**

**Warning: has a cussing word in here but it isn't the infamous 'f' or 'female dog' but is the word for babies conceived out of wedlock. Also has other words or put-downs but it is just stupid or silly, nothing real strong.**

**Naruto is not in here because he isn't in Sakura's class yet. **

**Iruka isn't her teacher yet.**

* * *

"Now your first year at the academy is always exciting but we focus more on the theoretical side of being a ninja, throughout this year the only practical class you will have this year is physical training. That is my class. I am here to help build your stamina and to prepare you for your basic taijutsu classes next year" the teacher drones, Sakura sighs in boredom and her gaze wonders to the third year students sparring.

She is stuck outside, sitting on itchy grass with pesky sand flies listening to a droning, boring, annoying Uchiha droid. Proudly displaying his Uchiha emblem and even adding rants of Uchiha glory to his lessons.

The class drunk it all, except her, like perfect leaf buds using it to grow big and some, perhaps like Uchiha clan ninja.

Sakura scoffs at the very thought of everyone becoming like her silly teacher.

Would everyone in Konoha strut around like a pompous bird puffing out their chest every time someone chirps Uchiha?

Konoha would quickly crumbled into dirt squashed beneath other nations feet if they did.

'Like mama says, arrogance leads to enemies and also opens you up for attack' Sakura chants inwardly, smiling at the prospect of her teacher being squashed by a large foot.

The Uchiha finally opens up his book, smugly flashing the pages to the class but too quickly so they can't read the content. Uchiha notes are confidential.

'How can I get really strong when all we do is only stupid stuff?' Sakura huffs inwardly. She watches her teacher strut back and forth, mouthing about Uchiha greatness…again.

Many children lean forward in amazement, occasionally an ooh or ah after a flick of her teacher's hand.

Like a composer eliciting praising tunes from obedient instruments.

She is probably the triangle that only tings once throughout the whole thing.

That is when he talks about the fourth Hokage, the legendary Hokage.

"Who here knows about shuriken?" the teacher asks, finally done praising his clan and brainwashing her peers.

Sakura's hand immediately flies up and she answers instantly, "Shuriken is one of the most common ninja tools used by ninja. Shuriken is great tool to throw, it enables a ninja to restrain, distract, or draw enemy ninjas out of hiding. There is open centre where you can hold shuriken without getting hurt by the points. A shuriken has four points shaped like a star which is why some nickname it the ninja star. With the centre open many may thread strings through it and-"

The teacher clears his throat and her classmates begin giggle behind their hands. Sakura glowers at them and then fires a glare at her teacher. His onyx eyes are however focusing on his favourite student, who is also his relative, who is waving his hand around ready to answer. Ironically the same student is the son of the Uchiha clan leader; Sakura understands what her pompous teacher is up to.

Sasuke Uchiha, chicken-butt haired boy, the Uchiha extraordinaire.

His wide, coal eyes full of ninja knowledge and techniques bug her to no end.

Sakura narrows her eyes at the boy, and clenches her fists warningly. He better not try to dazzle the class with his brilliance and soak up all the limelight in the class. She could outsmart the boy any day, give or take on what the subject is, but she is sure she could.

The pompous bird struts accordingly towards the Uchiha extraordinaire and Sakura imagines roasting both birds. Perhaps douse them with BBQ so Choji could swallow them.

"Who here knows about kunai? Ah, how about you Sasuke-"

"Kunai is a black dagger designed for stabbing and thrusting but can cause damage if thrown. But it is not designed for throwing. The blade is usually the size of one's hand. Kunai are versatile tools which can help short and long range," Sakura exclaims in one breath. Sakura smirks smugly at Sasuke, who face drops with disappointment; she doesn't even feel a tad bit bad.

Sure the boy is cute, the heart-magnet in the academy with his kindness and Uchiha looks.

But he is… too much competition for Sakura to bat her eyelashes at.

No, she has to beat him at everything and then… maybe they could be friends. Or he could be her admirer, whatever suited him best.

"Sakura-san, I would appreciate it if you would stop yelling out answers and preventing your fellow peers from answering," Her teacher warns and he whispers disgustedly, "Typical, disrespectful civilians."

Sakura catches the whispers and inwardly fumes. The colour red rises from her chest, climbs higher until it's at the roots of her hair. Her green eyes darken with rage and she trembles in her seat.

Her pompous teacher also seems to hold a grudge against everyone that is not from a clan. He looks at her like she is the scum needing to be squashed under a foot.

"What ways can you use kunai? Sasuke-sama, how about you answer this time?" her teacher asks kindly, and the young Uchiha gives his teacher a dazzling smile.

The sighs of girls leave an awful taste in Sakura's mouth.

Why did everyone like him?

He has weirder hair than hers; it even defies gravity by jutting out like chickens behind.

"Well, big brother says-"

"There are such things as explosive kunai which have explosive tags attached to them. These are typically used to be thrown at an enemy or near an enemy where it could attach itself to an object and then explode. That would kill the enemy if they do not dodge it. There is also other ways where you can attach chakra strings or even cover the blade with poison" Sakura exclaims loudly, victoriously she fist pumps in the air and basically beams snidely at the young Uchiha.

His face drops once more and Sakura feels slightly, a tiny bit, a teensy bit guilty.

The boy is kind, she can admit.

The word in relation to him disappears when the Uchiha glares angrily at her.

"That is enough, wait outside until the class is over" her teacher squawks, finger pointing to the door while he narrows his eyes angrily at Sakura.

The pompous bird thinks he can flap his wings around and everyone would listen.

Sakura slams her raised fist on the desk, causing quite the racket and catching the eyes of everyone in her class, "No I am sick of you playing favourites because he is also an Uchiha. I will answer questions; I come here to learn and to have my teacher help me learn! I don't come here to watch you kiss the Uchiha clan leader's son's butt!"

* * *

"Hi" Sakura whispers softly, wilting under the intense gaze of the village's powerful leader. Never has she seen the Hokage before but he is scarily deadly looking despite being millenniums older than her. Millenniums are over-exaggerating but Sakura knows this man is somewhat ancient or in her eyes he is.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's coal eyes never stray from her face and that seems to be to her teacher's satisfaction. The Uchiha man smirks smugly before disappearing in a while of leaves back to his class.

This leaves Sakura vulnerable in the predator's cage with no way to escape.

She knows he is going to bite.

He is going to growl.

That is why her teacher put her in the cage, so she can be eaten alive.

Most certainly, to her horror, banish her from the academy.

She swallows nervously and cringes away from the Hokage as he leans forward in his seat.

The stubborn, marching, head held high and glaring brat who had slammed the door in her entrance quickly melted into a puddle of goo.

"You disrupted you class-"

His voice sounds deadly, threatening, and he is about to deal her with the sentence of banishment but she had to tell her side first, "But Hokage-"

"Let me finish, you disrupted your class and you were rude to your teacher. You went as far as to accuse him of favouritism. What do you think I should do with you? Sakura-san" the Hokage asks. He looks threatening in his white robes adorning Konoha symbols in red, and even his strange headwear has her shivering in her new kunoichi boots.

Sakura's green eyes gleam with anger and, to her horror, let's tears leak.

Now she is a cowering, snivelling brat… oh how far the mighty had fallen.

Sakura feels deeply ashamed of her tears, of her cowardly behaviour and of her weakness.

She never ever wanted to feel like this again, that is why she became so focused on her studies, why she runs every morning and bests her time every single day.

She never wanted to feel helpless, useless and weak.

But now she does, it just isn't fair to her.

"I am sick the teachers at school treating me like I know nothing because I am from a civilian family. I am sick of the children from clans receiving special treatment. Every time I raise my hand to answer a question they pick Ino, Sasuke, Hinata, and everyone else. I am smart and I know that unlike them I have no ninja experience but I can get some! The teachers just never help me to so I have to go and find out stuff myself" Sakura says unabashedly. Building the courage within her chest and finally raising her green eyes to match his stare.

Her defiance melts again when his eyes unwavering gaze at her.

Sakura bows her head angrily while she clenches her fists tightly, she exclaims angrily, "I am sick of people judging me by my hair, my forehead, my lack of ninja heritage, my size, my age, everything!"

Sakura raises her head when the Hokage doesn't immediately reply.

The old man strokes his goatee in thought while his coal eyes remain on her. It is only now that she realizes how old and tired the Hokage is, many lines adorn his face and mark his age. Sakura is amazed by how such a frail, old, and tired looking man could be Hokage.

"Are you saying you don't fit in at the academy?" the Hokage asks her.

Sakura stumbles back in surprise but gathers herself quickly, stubbornly she retorts, "You can kick me out of the academy like Satoshi-sensei said you would, I don't care. I will still become a ninja with or without the help of the teachers. I won't give up in becoming strong!"

The Hokage chuckles deeper and is coal eyes twinkle happily, "I will not 'kick you out' of the academy, Sakura-san. I was only slightly teasing."

Sakura huffs angrily, red begins to rise once more on her face with anger and she growls furiously, "You were making fun of me! I don't care if you are Hokage, I will-"

"Let an old man have his laugh" chuckles Hiruzen, his mirth only grows when he watches Sakura's face transform into a darker red. Faintly in his eyes he can see a once young, blonde haired girl with an equally large temper. His eyes daze over as he embraces the nostalgic feeling.

"I won't be such a joke to you after this" Sakura cries out like a war cry, and she lunges towards Hiruzen. She scrambles onto his desk, knocking over a mountain of papers, and clumsily throws a fist towards the old man.

A blur is all she sees when suddenly her arms are securely and tightly held behind her back.

The searing in her pain makes her eyes well up with tears.

Sakura struggles against the person restraining her, attempting to charge like a bull at a suddenly more serious Hiruzen. After a few good minutes of struggling she collapses to her knees, looking angrily at the desk, 'Why am I so weak? He will think I am even more of a joke now.'

"I am not a joke, so don't laugh at me like I am one" Sakura whispers stubbornly.

Hiruzen sighs inwardly at the girl's overreaction, she is a bit sensitive about how people treat her, he acknowledges after studying her.

"Hmm… you are really serious about this, aren't you? I will speak to your teachers and address the issue. But you must not be disrespectful to your teachers. Hmm… you may go for now, release her. You might find that the best training ground is nearest to the river that runs through Konoha, I am sure you will be able to build your skills there. If anyone intrudes say the Hokage sent you there, they will understand" Hiruzen cryptically responds, placing his pipe in his mouth.

Sakura breaks easily out of the guards grip.

"But I don't know how to throw a- never mind, thanks Hokage-sama" Sakura mutters softly, her shoulders fall with defeat and she trudges outside of the Hokage's office.

The Hokage forms a plan in his head.

"Raido, would you mentor the girl?" Hiruzen asks his guard, the instant shake of the head makes Hirzuen sigh, the stern approach of Raido is probably what is best for the somewhat unstable temper of the spitfire.

"I know someone who should, Hokage-sama."

* * *

Sakura huffs angrily before retrieving another shuriken from her pouch.

"The book says the open centre is where you hold it to throw it, so you won't cut yourself. Now do I throw it like when dad plays darts or like throwing a ball? I should get that book out of the library next time I go there" Sakura whispers to herself.

Her hands are marred with scratches and cuts from her previous, clumsy throws. The porcelain skin is sure to be scarred for the first time in her life.

A grins grows on her face, real ninja have scars in her eyes.

Sakura eyes the metal star with four points lying flat on her palm and the metal of the star shines under the ray of sunlight peering through the window.

Sakura had mysteriously found a pouch of shuriken in her room when she got home from the academy.

Lying on her rumpled, brown mink blanket was the forest green pouch. Her green eyes grew large at the sight and she had hungrily eyed them. Finding twenty ninja stars in the pouch had her nearly dancing with joy but when her eyes had scrambled across to the other pouch, then she danced.

Jumping up and down, spinning round and round, bobbing her head side to side before her hungry green orbs fed on the sight of a full pouch of kunai.

Today was going to be the best day of her life.

That is until she realised she had no clue on how to use either ninja tools.

This is second year lessons and she is only four weeks into the first year.

Sakura knows there is about hundreds before it is second year and a hundred more before they begin on that lesson.

Sakura traces the edges with her index finger and sighs softly, "One of the most deadly weapons in the ninja world is… mine but I don't even know how to use it. I can't believe mama agreed to get me some, dad must have had real trouble."

"Sakura Haruno, what is this!" her mother's loud shriek interrupts.

She turns around quickly and gives her mother a reassuring smile, "I am doing my homework like you told me to. Oh and thank you for the shuriken! The kunai are good as well!"

Mebuki stands in the doorway, eyes wide, mouth left gaping and her entire body shaking.

Shuriken, kunai, two dangerous weapons in her the clutches of her seven year old daughter.

Sakura's dimpled smile fades when she sees her mother trembling with anger.

Anger flashes to outrage and horror before it manifests into pure rage. Red consumes her mother's usually porcelain complexion and her mouth snaps tight together.

The forest green wall in Sakura's bedroom has more than ten shuriken embedded in it. Ninja star tearing marks scarring the wall-paper, with scattered holes 3cm deep.

The walls that Mebuki had had to sacrifice the previously pink flowers to the deep, forest green are now tainted by Sakura's target practice.

Mebuki clearly did not approve, her eye twitching indicated such.

Sakura didn't see the harm, it is too hot outside in Konoha to train out there and they have no backyard. That is the luxury of living in an apartment complex.

The entire village is sweating a bulk under the harsh rays from the sun cursing them with too much heat.

"Sakura Haruno!"

Birds flee the scene of the crime, and villagers stop walking from the sound of a loud shriek.

Kizashi ducks his head into the room and only to quickly duck out.

Sakura stands really to fight for her right to train only to shrivel up under her mother's powerful glare.

She had, of course, inherited her temper from her mother.

* * *

Sakura trudges sulkily towards the training grounds of Konoha. Stamping tendrils of grass flat and swatting away pesky bugs. Her mood was dampened by the rant rather than lecture from her mother. Everyone seems to be against her these days.

Her own cowardly father hid in the toilet during the whole rant.

"Doesn't mum know I am going to be a great ninja and that I need to train. We have no backyard, where was I supposed to train" Sakura grumbles, glaring angrily at everything. Wilting flowers, scaring bugs, and repelling villagers, she does this all by glaring hatefully at everything.

The heat doesn't help.

The sun pelts the village with heat while her home is cool and shielded from the heat.

While her mum is probably lounging on the futon reading and her coward of a father is doing chores for her mum.

The man needs to seriously stand up against her mum for his only child.

Storming onto the nearest training ground, she begins to prepare for her ultimate training. Her mother's rude disruption would not put her paddocks behind her classmates.

She dumps her school bag onto the grass, crushing the tendrils again and retrieves an attachable target.

The circle target of hers is Kizashi's old dart board that had been buried under her parent's bed.

"Hey kid," Sakura twists around to see three men approaching her.

Shinobi, she recognizes from their vests and their forehead protectors.

Her face is gathering sweat in bucket loads and yet they all look like it is a normal cool day… lucky bastards…

"This is our training ground, would you mind shifting?" one of them asks.

His face is marred by a scar that has claimed some of the left side of his face; it reminds Sakura faintly of the marks Hinata gets when she activates her eye technique.

"I don't see your name on it" Sakura retorts, she stubbornly folds her arms and glares daringly at the trio.

"Look kid," the man with short hair who chews on a senbon looks down at her, "We just need to train here and we don't want to put you at risk."

Sakura's eyes brighten at this, 'if they can help train me then maybe… maybe I will get it and… and.'

She shakes away her thoughts and exclaims excitedly, "We can train together!"

"You are one determined kid" the senbon man comments, his dark eyes flicker to her hair wielding the unusual hair colour and he adds monotonously, "With unusual hair and a rather large forehead. It is too dangerous for you to train with us."

"Well… Hokage-sama said I could train here, so that means I called dibs or he did for me" Sakura childishly retorts and pokes out her tongue.

The man with the scar and the other laugh, smacking the senbon man's back before disappearing quickly in a cloud of smoke.

"Ah, so you are the brat I am stuck with" the man sighs heavily, his eyes flicker from the crusty target and the pouches dumped on the grass. He runs a hand through his hair which reaches just below his chin, the brown tresses remain flat, and Sakura envies that.

"So you are doing target practice, throw a shuriken for me will you kid" he instructs, nodding in the direction of the pouch containing shuriken. Sakura's head flies from the man to the pouch in surprise, how did he know which contained what?

"Um… my name is Sakura Haruno… not kid, a kid is informal, it is a baby goat by the way and is an incorrect term for a human child, may I repeat, human child. But call me Sakura! Okay" Sakura boisterously proclaims, giving a dimpled grin to the man before scampering towards the pouch.

She clumsily grips the shuriken in her hand, careful to only lightly touch the sharp points. She lifts her hand to throw the ninja star only to have another hand catch her arm.

"Wrong technique kid, you're going to end up throwing it at the grass not the target. The name is Genma Shiranui and I will be mentoring you for a bit. Now you see how you are throwing it, it is like you are about to bounce a ball. We don't want it going to the ground. Here kid, watch" Genma says firmly, without Sakura noticing he had taken the shuriken.

Sakura watches as he slowly demonstrates how to throw a shuriken, the ninja star lands dead in the middle of the target. She fist pumps instantly and childishly exclaims, "Katsu!"

Genma dark brown eyes observe her with mirth and he shakes his head in amusement.

"You're an interesting kid, kid. Raido told me he stopped you from attacking the Hokage, which is a pretty gutsy move for a twerp that barely reaches pass my waist in height. I also heard you knock Satoshi down a peg, would have paid to see that" Genma comments, Sakura's gaze flickers to him briefly but she ignores him in favour for picking another shuriken.

"Wrong stance," Sakura quickly adjusts her feet.

"Arms are in the wrong position," Sakura adjusts her arms.

"Wrong way to hold a shuriken," Sakura puts a finger in the open centre of the ninja star.

"You followed through," Sakura's scowls at the shuriken stabbing the earth only 1 metre in front of her.

"Too much force, followed through," the shuriken is deeply embedded in the earth and Sakura scowls angrily.

"Kid, arms are in wrong position," 'kid' quickly adjusts and begins to breathe heavily.

"Each miss equals one lap, you keep following through," Sakura's leg sear with pain as she sprints around the training field. It doesn't help she only has limited time since her 'mentor' is timing her.

"Good, it didn't get the ground this time but it didn't get near the tree. More force, better aim comes with how you are positioning the throw," Sakura gasps for air as she takes off for another lap.

"Followed through, I thought you were stopping that bad habit," Sakura glares angrily at Genma and drops to her knees in the middle of the lap. Her lungs desperately inhale for air and her legs continue to throb and sear in pain. Genma appears beside her and before he could reprimand her she is off continuing her lap.

To make up for her failure, she does another.

This continues until the sun begins to descend into darkness.

Genma stands over a gasping and wheezing Sakura who lies pitifully on the grass.

"Hmm… you got the target, why did you run?" Genma utters curiously, Sakura leaps to her feet instantly and leans forward with narrowed eyes to study the target.

Barely attached to her dad's old dart board is a shuriken.

Happiness bubbles inside of her and she leaps in the air happily, "Hell yeah!"

Her head whips around and she gazes determinedly at Genma, "Again!"

Genma raises an eyebrow at the child's enthusiasm because that is the only shuriken to get to the target from all of her throws. How could the child be this happy?

"I have other duties, I have been helping you too long" Genma responds, he watches her face fall into disappointment.

"How about… tomorrow Genma-sempai, we can train tomorrow?" Sakura asks softly.

Genma sighs, his schedule is wrapped up tight and the only time free is, "5am sharp, I want you here and ready."

Sakura tackles him over in a hug, and Genma falls back in surprise.

"Perhaps I should call you bull, kid" Genma teases and he chuckles when he receives a cute glare from his student.

"Maybe I should call you Gemma!"

All Genma can think in response to that is, 'nicely played.'

The kid is weird but a good time.

He feels oddly excited for tomorrows training with the little spitfire.

* * *

**I know this doesn't have much on Sasuke or any on Naruto but I thought Sakura would need a mentor. Please review and tell me what you think, do you like Genma as her mentor? Do you have any ideas on how Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura get squashed together? Haha, I already have it planned but your guesses are welcome. This is before the massacre also, so Sasuke is still nice and mentally stable! Yay ^-^ **

**Iruka has not been assigned as a teacher yet by the Hokage and Naruto hasn't been put back a year into Sakura's class yet.**

**Next chapter teaser:**

"Who is the dead-last boy?"

"The boy you are stuck with in a group"

"What, that isn't fair!"

"At least you have Sasuke-kun!"

"Damn it, him too"

"You should use the Uchiha fan to cool down your ego!"

"I don't understand why you don't like me? Are you jealous of my clan?"

"No it is because you are so good at everything but one day I am going to be stronger than you!"

"You can't be because if a girl with pink hair beats me... father won't ever acknowledge me!"

"That is a ramen coupon"

"Ra-uh-men"

"Yeah, it's just noodles but take it"

"T-thanks"

"Haven't you had ramen before?"

"All I have had is orphanage goo"

**Review, please.**

**The more reviews I get, the faster you get your chapter!**


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